George Smith Patton Jr.
A talented sportsmen and veteran of the first world war, Patton was one of the most decorated officers in The US military, he led troops into the Mediterranean theater with an invasion of Casablanca during Operation Torch in 1942, and soon established himself as an effective commander by rapidly rehabilitating the demoralized II Corps.
But he was later embroiled in controversy after slapping two shell-shocked soldiers during the invasion of Sicily and was temporarily removed from command.
During the Allied occupation of Germany, Patton was named military governor of Bavaria, but was relieved for making aggressive statements towards the Soviet Union and questioning denazification. Severely injured during a car accident, he died in Germany twelve days later, on 21 December 1945.